


One More Soul

by sinnabee



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: :), Angst, Happy Ending, One Shot, Sad themes, Short, attempted suicide, but everything ends up okay, don't worry!, just a little thing i typed up a while ago :), oh but i guess i should..., unrelated, you're only sad for a little bit :)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-13
Updated: 2016-07-13
Packaged: 2018-07-23 17:15:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7472448
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sinnabee/pseuds/sinnabee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>You don't have a choice. There's only one decision here you can make in good conscience, one action that won't put a stain on your soul. You're doing the right thing. The only thing you can do. It's your responsibility. Your burden to carry. You have to...there really is no other choice.</p><p>The skeleton disagrees.</p>
            </blockquote>





	One More Soul

You trudged through the flooded dump area, trying to keep too much water from getting into your rain boots, which was pretty much a pointless endeavor.

 

At least your coat, boots, and umbrella were actually coming in  _ handy  _ in Waterfall. They helped keep the snow off your skin in Snowdin, but they weren't really meant for retaining heat. So you got  _ very  _ cold,  _ very  _ quickly.

 

In actuality, you had already been through Waterfall, and some of the Hotlands. It was one of the confrontations with Undyne, from which you barely managed to escape, that made you realize something. In fact, it brought you stomping all the way back to Snowdin, just to make sure.

 

Everyone down here was...hopeless. Hell, there were a few monsters back in Snowdin that straight up admitted that if they didn't smile, they would spend all their time crying.

 

You met the kid that was staying with Sans and Papyrus. And they were just that - a kid. As it turned out, they fell down about three weeks before you did. They spent one and a half in the ruins, with Toriel. For now, it seemed like they planned on staying with the brothers for a while until they worked up the courage to go through Waterfall.

 

Toriel had tried to convince you to stay, during your own stint in the ruins. But when you told her that she couldn't change your mind, she let you go, even though she looked pretty sad about it. But you didn't really want to think about Toriel right now. You wanted to focus and getting back through waterfall and staying the hell away from everyone. In particular...staying away from Sans.

 

It was why you weren't using the Riverperson’s boat to get around. He could pretty easily just wait for you at the docking spot, and at least this way you had a  _ chance  _ of avoiding him.

 

It was your own damn fault for asking him about the barrier, instead of any other monster, who would have happily given you all the juicy details and have been none the wiser. But it was a little too late to fix that mistake, so you decided sneaking around all of his sentry stations and hoping to god he didn't catch up to you (or get ahead of you somehow) would have to do instead.

 

Nobody could know what exactly it was you were planning. You didn't want them to know. It was your burden to bear, and yours alone.

 

Another hour romping around in Waterfall, getting truly and thoroughly soaked, and you were finally back in Hotland.

 

You hurriedly made your way to the elevator and hit the button for what looked to be the floor closest to the core. Which, if Papyrus’ helpful instructions were true, would lead straight to where you needed to be.

 

Last time you were in Hotland, you tried the lab, but for some reason there was a huge video screen that was somehow connected to what you assumed was a live feed of that kid back in Snowdin. Which was unbearably creepy, so you got out of there as fast as you could. Thankfully it didn't seem like anyone was there.

 

The elevator let you out near a tiny fire monster. He looked like he was about to say something to you, but your hurried on past. You weren't stopping to talk to anybody.

 

After that, it was through the MTT resort, and then the core. You made it through all of these places with relative ease, even though you had never been this far before. Unfortunately, you also got an itching paranoia, and you began to feel like every monster you passed, or had a minor confrontation with, was watching you, judging you.

 

Part of you wanted to turn back...but you had already made your choice, and you planned to stick with it. No going back now.

 

You had to do this. The world was a whole lot bigger than one person, so this was for the best. You were saving everyone. Was there ever even a choice to make, really? You were saving that little kid that was staying all the way back in Snowdin. You were saving all those monsters who smiled so they didn't frown. You were saving Toriel, and Undyne, and Papyrus, and...

 

Finally, you made it to a golden hall. You were halfway through when you blinked. All of your rationalizations came to a screeching halt.

 

“hey there, kid. i’ve been meaning to talk to you.”

 

No. No, you weren't going to do this, you weren’t going to let him try and change your mind about this. This was the only choice you could make. 

 

“Sorry, I’m a little b-busy at the moment. So, if you’ll just excuse, me…” You tried to step around him. He took one step and blocked you. You stopped. He was staring straight at you, but you couldn't bring yourself to look at him. Instead, you clenched your fists and stared pointedly at a spot to the right of his skull.

 

From the corner of your vision, you could see Sans heave a sigh, maybe even roll his eyes. You could still feel him looking at you.

 

“bud. i don’t know what the hell you think you're trying to accomplish with this stunt. but i’d really ‘preciate it if you’d...i dunno...turn around. maybe come back to snowdin with me. spend some time with paps and the kiddo.”

 

You grit your teeth.

 

“I can’t.”

 

Sans raised a brow bone at you. You noticed that for once, he wasn't smiling. Just showing off a straight row of teeth.

 

“you can't? or you won't?” he asked. “because for some dumb-ass reason, you’ve got it in your head that you're gonna be a martyr, and that-”

 

“No! You don't understand!” You snapped, whipping around to glare at him. He seemed unimpressed, and it only made you feel angrier. Especially with what he said next.

 

“pretty sure i understand perfectly, pal. you’re about to make a big mistake, and you’ve convinced yourself it's the “only way,” or some similar bullshit.” His voice seemed to soften a bit. “i don’t need a pair of eyes to see that.” 

 

No.  _ No.  _ He just didn't get it. You were doing this for them. It wasn't a mistake. You  _ had  _ to do it. There was no other choice.

 

“I don’t have any other choice.”

 

Sans shook his head.

 

“there’s always a choice.”

 

But you had already made your choice.

 

Instead of replying, you just plowed straight past him. You were giving up your SOUL to break down that barrier, and nothing he could do or say was going to stop you-

 

You felt thick, padded bones catch you around the waist, pressing your own arms flush against yourself. Immediately you started struggling and kicking, even though Sans, being taller and so much bigger than you, managed to lift you up off the floor with only a small grunt.

 

“Let me go! Sans,  _ damn it,  _ put me down right fucking now!”

 

“sorry, kid. no can do. my hands are kinda full, at the moment.”

 

You were so,  _ so, angry.  _ You kicked and screamed and yelled and cursed and he just held you, carried you back near the entrance to the hall and then sat with you on the floor. You were losing steam, now, and your struggles became weaker and weaker as he just held you in his lap and waited.

 

Soon came the tears. You were fairly certain you were blubbering, begging him at this point, to  _ please, just let you go, you had to do this, you needed to do this, there was no other choice,  _ but he just held on to you, still as a statue. When you had finally stopped begging, and instead just lay there limp in his arms, silent tears running down your face, you finally felt him relax. 

 

A weight settled on top of your head. A few moments later, Sans started humming, quietly. His chest seemed to rumble, and you could feel soft vibrations running from what you realized was his skull straight into you.

 

You didn't know how long you sat there like that, in his lap as he hummed and you cried. At some point his restraining arms had become a comforting embrace, and you you were nestled into him. Your eyelids felt heavy. You were drifting closer and closer to sleep, but the abrupt cease of his humming caused you to open your eyes again. You didn't remember closing them.

 

“...throwing your life away isn’t the answer, kid. not even in a situation like this. maybe you felt like, like this was the only choice available to you. and that you couldn't get attached. heh. that’s why you started avoiding everyone, isn't it? don't get attached and don't have anything to miss.”

 

You didn't say anything.

 

“but, well… this is a lesson i learned pretty recently, myself. you're not in it alone. you can… you ask for help. nobody asked you to do this, to shoulder everyone else’s problems like it was your responsibility to solve them.”

 

“But it is my responsibility,” you whispered. “I can set everyone free. If I don't do this, it's the same as keeping you all trapped down here myself. I-”

 

“no.” Sans cut you off. You could feel tears welling in your eyes again. Suddenly Sans shifted you around in his lap, so that you were more or less facing him. Gently, he gripped your shoulders and and looked you straight in the eye.

 

“no,” he repeated. “it’s not. no one put this on you. no one can look at you and tell you that just because you fell down some hole and got trapped in here with the rest of us, it's your responsibility to get everyone out of it.”

 

You sniffled. Your lower lip trembled. He was wrong.

 

“But Undyne said-”

 

“undyne says a lot of things.” Sans cut you off again. “sometimes what she says is nothing but crap. she feels personally responsible for getting us out, even though it’s not her responsibility, either. a human coming through is the perfect way to take all of that guilt, all that anger at being helpless, and stick it on someone else. listen to me, kid.”

 

Sans bunched up the sleeve of his hoodie in one hand and wiped at the tear trails still left on your face.

 

“this ain’t your job. and you definitely don’t have to do anything alone. sacrificing yourself is  _ not  _ the answer.”

 

Sans’ mouth finally tilted up from it’s grim line into a small, hopeful smile.

 

“besides, kid…”

 

His pupils brightened as he looked at you, and the hand still on your shoulder tightened, as if he was afraid to let go.

  
“…somebody down here  _ really  _ cares about you.”

**Author's Note:**

> Special thanks to Gigiree for basically being my inspiration for anything and everything! :D
> 
> Just a one shot I typed up a while ago. Someone else falls down into the Underground, and they start making connections. Friendships, maybe have a little fun...but Undyne's accusations hit them a lot harder when they venture into waterfall.
> 
> Thank god for nosy skeletons, huh? It may seem a little out of character for Sans to interfere, but this is assuming they've spent some time with him, grown to know him and Frisk and Papyrus. Also assuming...Sans has probably been in a similar place before. After a few resets, Frisk has helped him learn it's okay to ask for help. He's not going to let anyone else make the same mistakes he has. You can read this as romantic or just a friendship! But the main point is...
> 
> Don't throw away your life! Ask for help! You aren't alone! And remember...
> 
> Somebody out there really cares about you. ;)


End file.
